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Apr 30, 2013

Video demonstrating full print process of Kühling&Kühling 3d printer. It looks like very high quality print. The printer is available for 4.153,10 € plus shipping. The price is high and there is no independent reliability or problem reports due to novelty so it makes cost-benefit analysis harder at this moment. It looks like solid piece of German engineering and Kühling-s claim it is built for reliability. We will see ...

A non-waterproof, DIY 3D printing optimised case design is at an intermediate stage of development.
Other cases designed to be 3D printed in metal or other high-resolution materials are also being worked on as time permits.
The intention is to publish the source CAD data for at least one DIY 3D
printable case design before the end of April 2013, earlier if possible.

Objectives:

Create a watch module that enables the end user to have complete control of its functionality and user interface,

Discover
the benefits - and any detractions - of (potentially selling) a product
developed from the outset in true open source hardware style,

Self-education,

Discover how much technology can be crammed into a wristwatch designed - and possibly manufactured - 'on the living room table',

Design
a module that with only a little extra effort, could form the basis of
other devices, eg cycle computer, dive computer, data logger, etc.

Provision for a LED based planar light-guide type
back light (utilising a 0.4mm high right-angle Avago ChipLED and laser
engraved light guide. (N.B. This is highly experimental and yet to be
fully developed. Any derivatives of OTM-02 with commercial intent should
be aware this technology is heavily patented.)

The Perfactory® Micro is the smallest desktop 3-dimensional printer in size with the highest resolution. It is a low cost, easy maintenance and user friendly personal desktop 3-dimensional manufacturing system. Using state of the art Direct Light Projection technology from Texas Instruments®, the Perfactory® Micro System uses 3D printing to produce the finest detail in the shortest period of time using an LED light source with zero maintenance and very low acquisition costs.

It also shows how even young children are interested and how 3d printing changes their perception of physical world around them. Near the end there is a demo of delta robot for electronic board assembly. Prusa is also here, but he is everywhere ;-) ...

Apr 18, 2013

This post will compile news and data about 3d printed knives and blades.

This was the first video of 3d printed knife I saw:

I don't see it is good for anything except cake cutting.

Update (28.2.2014):

here is another 3d printed tanto style blade in ABS by Barancules. You can open cardboard boxes with it ... still, far away from usable knife IMHO

Here is karambit style blade:

Update (16.3.2015.):

... and then someone has to ruin it for everyone ...
As 3dprint.com reports, mechanical engineering student at École de technologie supérieure in Montreal, Canada, named Antoine Rancourt Poulin made a hidden real knife blade with 3d printed comb attachment and handle. Probably highly illegal as concealed weapon ...

Group of Dutch students wanted to show security flaws and smuggled two 3d printed knives into a courtroom of the Palace of Justice in Den Bosch. The whole thing was done with courts permission as a sort of a test.
3D printed knives were tested to show that they can cut, stab and potentially hurt someone.

What is next? Taking some sharp wood sticks or stones trough metal detector to "prove" some sort of security threat?

From the source:

According to the court’s spokeswoman Ilse Westenenk, the courtroom regularly works together with the college. ‘That’s why we gave them permission, but obviously after checking they were actual Avans students,’ she said.

The spokeswoman further revealed that the court was already aware of these loopholes in the security system, but added that this experiment will not lead to a tightening of security.

‘We have known for some time that knives of this kind cannot be detected by metal scanners. 3D printed weapons simply require other security measures. But for now we will uphold the current balance between security and transparency,’ she said. The courtroom and its corridors are also patrolled by security personnel.

I attended an event about 3d printing in Osijek, Croatia and in a bunch of 3d printed stuff I saw a small 3d printed knife of the same design as used by Dutch students. I took a look and it seems completely useless. I don't think it would be capable of opening a paper envelope. Maybe it could be used to cut some very soft cheese. Waste of time. you can see it in picture bellow:

Update:

Here is a dagger printed on professional Stratasys SLS printer probably in nylon powder. Not much information is available. The source is unknown. It looks like Klingon design :-)

Update:

here you can see a knife prototype or fantasy prop developed and 3d printed/painted by SoupCan13